Wall St. Earnings Expectations: The average estimate of analysts is for profit of $4.04 per share, a rise of 7.7% from the company’s actual earnings for the same quarter a year ago. During the past three months, the average estimate has moved down from $4.09. Between one and three months ago, the average estimate moved down. It has been unchanged at $4.04 during the last month. Analysts are projecting profit to rise by 20.5% compared to last year’s $14.85.

Past Earnings Performance: The company has beaten estimates the last four quarters and is coming off a quarter where it topped forecasts by 98 cents, reporting net income of $4.46 per share against a mean estimate of profit of $3.48 per share.

A Look Back: In the third quarter, profit rose 49.8% to $183.3 million ($4.46 a share) from $122.4 million ($3.05 a share) the year earlier, exceeding analyst expectations. Revenue rose 20.4% to $537.8 million from $446.7 million.

Here’s how Intuitive Surgical traded following its last earnings report 3 months ago and leading up to its upcoming earnings report this week: